[Efficacy of gabapentin in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome].

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of gabapentin in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), as well as the electromyographic (EMG) evolution after 6 months.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: A prospective study with a 6-month follow-up of patients with EMG diagnosis of primary CTS starting treatment with 1.800 mg/day of gabapentin. At baseline visit and after 6 months of treatment a complete clinical evaluation and an EMG study were performed. Adverse effects of gabapentin were also registered.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients were included, mean age (standard deviation) 58.88 (7.69) years. After 6 months of treatment, a statistically significant reduction of pain (p = 0.001) and improvement of severity of symptoms (p = 0.008) were observed, although functional capacity did not change. EMG was performed in 19 patients at 6 months. Compared to baseline EMG: 52.6% patients showed no changes in EMG findings, while 5.3% patients showed improvement and in 26.3% the EMG was normal. Progression was only seen in 15.8% of patients after 6 months of treatment. In 28% of the patients gabapentin was stopped because of side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

In our series, gabapentin was effective in the reduction of pain and improvement of the severity of the symptoms. Results of EMG after 6 months of treatment showed no changes, with improvement and/or remission in 84.2% of the cases. The drug was safe and well tolerated.